JXD and GPD Battle It Out In 7″ RK3188 Territory…

…and it looks like the clear winner in this case will be GPD. Both consoles are very similar in terms of specs, but the Q88+ just nudges past the S7300C with some better features. The easiest way to explain is probably with the following table…

As you can see, the Q88+ runs a later (and almost certainly more stable) version of Android, has an IPS screen and contains a larger battery. I can’t find a definite battery size for the JXD but everywhere I’ve seen it listed states either 3600 or 4000mah. You might recognise the shell from the JXD, they’ve kept the same casing from the previous S7300 models, which I have to say I found a little too fragile. I could have easily twisted the device into two pieces if I wanted and sometimes I must admit I felt like I wanted to, such was the condition of the stock firmware.

On the other hand, GPD seem to have taken a step backwards too in terms of the analog sticks. Gone are the gorgeous Xbox 360 style sticks found on the G5A and G7, and in their place are 2 pathetic little PSP style sliders. The expression ‘One Step Forward, 2 Steps Back’ springs to mind.

I didn’t include the prices in the comparison table because they are likely to fluctuate, however currently the GPD beats out the JXD again by a whole $19. Both machines can be had at the usual places including Willgoo. Click here for the GPD Q88+ and click here for the JXD S7300C.

On a side note, it feels as though this market is slowing down and stagnating somewhat. We need some innovation to keep things alive and I don’t feel as though our Chinese friends are delivering on this front at the moment. Maybe the Shield 2 will reignite some flames, we’ll have to wait and see.

I just purchased the s7300c and have been very impressed with it. The analog stick is no longer linked to the d-pad and works right out of the gate. I’ve tested 24 different emulators and haven’t encountered any stuttering issues. Screen refresh rate is 69hz. I opened up the back panel and the battery is listed as 3600mah.

Analog stick movement is -1 to 1 and every button is separately mapped. No air bubbles in the screen and no dead or stuck pixels.

Overall, build quality is the same as any other s7300. I love the d-pad and the buttons, but the plastic body feels slightly cheap. The analog nubs work perfectly. It would be nice to see better build quality, but for the price, it’s tough to beat.

I haven’t purchased anything since my Shield and the next handheld I get will be the Shield 2. The analog sticks and shoulder buttons on the GPD look horrible. These Chinese manufactures need to step up their game with better specs and controls.